Went to see a movie last night at the Siam Paragon cinemas — and that was an experience in itself. The Paragon complex incorporates about a bazillion screens (well, seventeen), all loosely organized around a glitzy, high-tech hub of a box office. In addition to a dozen or so "premium theatres" with pristine digital picture, exquisite surround sound, and spacious padded seats that recline almost to the point of going horizontal, there are three other types of specialty screens:
Nokia Ultra theaters, seating about thirty six people, with three cushy levels of romantic "seats for two." The Ultra Romance seats can be completely enclosed by curtains, the "Ultra Sweet" seats are "for lovers" (whatever that means), and the Ultra Paradise seats allow you to "feel as though you're at the beach" (whatever *that* means). Essentially, these are theaters subdivided into giant, front-facing, upholstered sofas, with backs and wings so high, you can sit in them and be in your own little world. Oh — the sofa will also give you a massage while you order snacks from an seat-side console.
The Pavalai Theatre, with three or four different seat classes, including the super-cushioned Paragon X chair, designed to recline to the horizontal and, again, make seeing a movie feel something more like a trip to the spa.
The Enigma Theatre, which comes complete with a private VIP waiting lounge where a DJ spins "easy listening music" while the staff serves nightclub-style snackage. Once inside, you can watch the movie in complete privacy while lazing around on what can only be described as Roman-style leather beds piled high with pillows and blankets.
Ticket prices are amazingly affordable, with premium seats going for 150 baht (about five bucks), Ultra seats going for 700 baht per couple (about $10.00 per person), and the Enigma orgy room going for a cool $3000 baht per couple (about $100 — but this comes with unlimited popcorn, snacks, and drinks, plus admission to the swanky club-style waiting area).
We took in an art flick for five bucks each, and paid five additional dollars for a monster-size Coke Zero and a bucket of honey-baked ham-flavored popcorn. At those prices, it's almost cheaper for us to fly to Bangkok to see a movie than to see it in our own home town in the USA. Meantime: I'm trying to persuade Clyde to please, please, please go back on Saturday afternoon to see some horrible Jackie Chan flick at the Nokia Ultra theatre … just to see how much decadence ten bucks a head can buy.
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